IT Systems (Army Recruitment) Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

IT Systems (Army Recruitment)

Madeleine Moon Excerpts
Tuesday 14th January 2014

(10 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Hammond of Runnymede Portrait Mr Hammond
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I pay tribute to my hon. Friend. It is largely as a result of his insistence on that point that I have become focused over the past four or five months on the importance of maintaining that distinct ethos, not just in the recruitment process, but elsewhere in the reserves. I agree with him entirely.

Madeleine Moon Portrait Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend) (Lab)
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Millions wasted on planned “cats and traps” on aircraft carriers, millions wasted on a failed GoCo and millions wasted on a failed IT system—will the Secretary of State tell us how many members of the armed forces would still be in their jobs if it were not for the millions that have been wasted by this Government’s failures?

Lord Hammond of Runnymede Portrait Mr Hammond
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Unfortunately, the hon. Lady forgot the £1.6 billion that was wasted by deliberately delaying the aircraft carrier contract because of a shortage of £300 million of cash in-year. The restructuring of the British Army is a long-term strategic response to the fiscal environment and the post-Afghanistan challenges that we face. The size of the Army is right for the future.